Whirlwind Effect
by Mindless Tofu
Summary: When Rin summoned the Rokudaime Hokage from the future, she set in motion a chain of events that ultimately saves Konoha. This is a tale of a girl's validation, an Uchiha princess' salvation, a demon's redemption, and a man's absolution. Time travel. AU.
1. From the Future

"Tch. What an annoyance. Die already."

Rin grimaced. She had managed to avoid being impaled by the Iwa-nin's ice pillars, but the one-sided fight was getting ridiculous. How did a ninja from Stone know ice ninjutsu?

"I'm a medic! I thought Iwa follows Yashua Rules of Engagement!"

"Does it look like I give damn, little Leaf-nin?" With a maniac grin on his face, the ice-using Iwa-nin continued his onslaught.

Rock and ice rained down. With honed skill and sheer luck, Rin avoided most of the shrapnel. A javelin of ice materialize in front of her torso as she readied to hop from a tree branch.

"The battle is over, kunoichi. It is my win."

"Kawarimi no Jutsu!" Rin exchanging herself with a mixture of branches and snow. She had just dodged what would have been a sure kill. As the ice spear collided with the kawarimi, the mixture shattered.

Rin took the opportunity and distanced herself from the enemy.

"No use delaying the inevitable, the outcome of this battle has been predicted the moment your teammates decided to charge in head first." The Iwa-nin spoke to the empty battle ground.

Rin understood her situation perfectly well. She was near chakra depletion, with lacerations all over her body from battles days ago. She searched through her inventory of ninjustu. Things weren't looking good. But Rin held firm. She was a shinobi, and shinobis made their own luck.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu." She whispered.

It was a far-fetched idea, but it could work. She remembered Minato explaining the theory behind the technique. And she was counting on the more convoluted nature if the technique. It was said that under dire situations, with the right intention and spiritual energy, it was possible to summon a creature to aid you, even without a contract.

Rin's eyes widened with hope as the summoning circle expanded and unwound under her palm. But what little sliver of hope she had literally died with a puff of smoke. The summon failed.

The Iwa-nin smiled. "I see you, little girl." She could almost hear his hands move as seals were rapidly made. She recognized the jutsu. It was the same technique that wiped out her teammates. The Iwa-nin was going to use a mid-range area effective technique. "Let's see you evade this!"

Rin watched with trepidation as eight spheres made of ice and stone levitated from the ground. "Dodge!" she commanded herself. But she wasn't fast enough. While the spheres were easily avoidable, the waves of rock and ice shards it shot out were not.

Rin was dying. She could see one of her foot lying a meter away. "How lame."

"I'm tired of this cat and mouse game, little Leaf-nin, you have performed adequately for a genin. I will finish this quick."

The sound of metal meeting flesh echoed throughout the battlefield.

Chapter 0 - From the Future

Rin was floating, up and down, up and down, in a simple sine wave pattern. Up and down, up and down. Then the world crashed down on her as she regurgitated everything in her stomach.

"I'm dead?"

"No, the dead do not get motion sickness." The voice did not sound amused.

Rin tensed. Was she being transported toward an Iwa camp?

"I would prefer you did not throw up on me. What is your name, genin?"

"I'm a chunin." She didn't know whether to laugh or be offended.

"You fought like a genin. What is your name?" The voice commanded.

Rin answered by promptly vomiting again and passing out.

The man carrying Rin frowned. She was also bleeding over him too.

"Genin, wake up. You are bleeding on me."

Rin couldn't tell how much time has passed since she's been perched on his shoulders. But she could still feel the rise and fall of the man steps. "What am I going to do, I need to contact Konoha," she thought to herself.

"You can stop pretending, I know you are awake."

Alarmed, Rin peeked through one of her eyes. She caught the sight of his tattered and bloodstained robe fluttering in the hair.

"I can tell that you're a Konoha-nin. What were you doing in Iwa?" The voice continued.

Rin held her lips shut. The enemy was lacking information. That was her advantage. She heard him sigh and felt herself being laid onto the ground. "Let's get you healed up first, maybe then you will be more willing to talk."

Rin's captor gently laid her on the ground. The man was a few years older than her. His golden hair was messy and unkempt while his navy-blue eyes appeared to suck in all the light surrounding him. Rin noticed the teal jounin vest that he wore underneath his robe.

"Pay attention to your leg, I need your full cooperation if you want to walk again."

A wave of a nausea hit her as she looked at her legs. She was missing a foot. Rin was a medic and understood what was implied. The chances of her having a full recovery approached zero.

The man noticed her weary expression. "Do not worry, I will fix you."

"Who are you," she started to ask, but was interrupted by having her pants taken off without notice.

"Quit squirming." His gaze was stern.

Rin reluctantly nodded and observed with interest. At the end of her leg where a foot should have been, only a seal tag existed. She was further disturbed when her captor took out a seal-covered foot from his backpack along with a brush and a jar of ink.

He looked into her eyes and commanded, "do not move."

Rin was felt uncomfortably vulnerable as he hovered over her. Before she can comment on the situation, a peach tone graced her cheeks. Much to Rin's annoyance, the seal's origin was anchored to her inner thigh. She couldn't help shiver as his brush delicately danced across her skin.

It took what felt like forever for the seals to be applied. He looked at her. "I need you to channel all the chakra you have to that leg when I say so, understood?" It wasn't a question.

"Y- yes." She felt disgusted at how meek she was.

The man made an incision in his palm. Beads of blood trickled and rained down on to her leg. She saw the seals unwind and slither as if they had a mind of its own. Warmth spread throughout her. "Now."

Rin gritted her teeth and forced chakra into her leg. Her body was on fire. What was the man doing? Just as she was about to ask, he aligned the tags on her foot with the seals on her leg and pieced them together. It was the strangest feeling. The seals started to beat in synch with her heart. Nausea washed over as her world dimmed.

The scene that greeted her as she regained consciousness was unfamiliar. The starry sky above her, the trees around her, and the man sitting next to her - everything was unfamiliar. He lightly coughed to get her attention. Rin looked at him. That was the man that saved her. Judging from his hitai-ite and how he sat, the man was probably a high ranking Konoha-nin, possibly nobility. But she has never seen him before.

_He looks like Minato-sensei, maybe he's a relative coming back from an extended mission._

Her musing was cut short. "You should be able to walk once you get some sleep. But it will take you a few month to regain full mobility."

The ability to reattach appendages wasn't unheard of, but it was certainly a rare skill.

_But to be able to do so under such unaccommodating conditions and using only fuuinjutsu!_

The seals on her leg and foot were meticulously interwoven. Rin looked at her savior in wonder.

"Here," he handed her a scroll, "Your appearance is indecent."

"What?" Rin gasped at her state of attire. "You asshole. You're the one that ripped off my pants in the first place!"

"They were dirty, you would have gotten an infection."

"Sh- Shut up!"

"I'll go set up camp."

A pair of neatly folded white pants fell into her lap as she activated the scroll. "These are!" Rin's eyes shinned in recognition. She couldn't help but wonder, "Who is that guy?"

Dinner was a simple affair, ration bar and herb soup.

"This taste bad. Shouldn't you be feeding me something delicious for a speedy recovery? And why aren't you drinking that horrible soup?"

"Huh," He nodded. "I will cook tomorrow. The ration bar replenishes calories. The herbal soup is a blood supplement. I did not sustain any injuries so it is unnecessary for me to consume any."

"You're being an asshole now."

A moment of silenced followed.

"Thanks for saving me and all. But it's not like I needed your help."

He continued diligently eating his ration bar and did not respond.

"And sorry about the whole vomit and blood thing." Rin laughed sheepishly.

"Do not worry about it, I burned the robe."

Embers danced and the firewood cracked.

"Who are you?" They asked simultaneously.

Silence.

The man finished eating. "I am Uzumaki Naruto, Rokudaime Hokage."

A mouthful of herbal soup was sprayed all over Naruto's face.

"That's impossible, Namikaze Minato was just appointed as the Yondaime Hokage a month ago."

"Oh."

AN: Review & Comment, feed the author!


	2. Responsibility

Sentinel of Konoha, that was what people called Naruto Uzumaki. He rightfully deserved the title. After all, he ended the Fourth Shinobi War. However, in the two years that the war lasted, Naruto had seen death, misfortune, and poverty. Ending it wasn't enough. With the demon in his navel and clones at his disposal, Naruto set out to change the world.

His objective had been simple: to cultivate the land and enrich the mind. Naruto had walked from one corner to the other, teaching and working along side the people, and fighting for them as he would his own citizens. Before many noticed, the Uzumaki banner flew all over the land.

To be humans was to be paranoid and irrational. And soon enough, people started to question Naruto's congregation of power. They put themselves in his shoes. What would they do if they had such power and influence? Unrest was born and nations began to plot. A rift tore apart Konoha.

Betrayal.

"It's a beautiful sunset, isn't it?" With a shrug and a smile, Naruto gazed into the horizon.

"Naruto, what are you planning?"

"The usurpers are dead. We need a bang to weld the country. Tonight, Konoha will slay its demon."

Comprehension dawned. "We can work this out diplomatically."

Naruto ignored him, "When the sun rises tomorrow, Konoha will need strength and courage, will you be there for her, will you take responsibility?"

Their hands met, "Is this really okay?"

"Believe it."

The secret Konoha War ended that night.

"Looks like everyone wanted a bite of this pie." Naruto scoffed as he kicked over another body.

Blood soaked into the earth. With a mental command, five shadow clones materialized.

"Collect the head plates, burn the bodies. We disappear before the sun rises."

The faction loyal to the Hokage was few in number. Naruto had forbidden them from fighting. The opposing factions included one domestic, backed by the usurpers in the Fire Lord's court, and one foreign, backed by an Stone, Cloud, and other micro states. It had been an all out battle between him and the other two factions. He had been outnumbered, but Naruto couldn't lose. He had to protect Konoha.

Naruto scoffed, the public spin of the civil war was borderline amusing. He would once again become the Demon of Konoha, who sought after endless conquest. And an alliance of heroes would save the world at the cost of their own lives.

"Six countries, thirteen non-domestic blood lines, close to twenty thousand bodies."

A figure landed next to Naruto.

"What're you going to do now?"

"I'm going to pay the Tsuchikage a visit."

Needless to say, something went awry with when the long ranged hiraishin was used. First thing he saw when he arrived in Iwa was a Leaf-genin getting her foot blown off.

Chapter 1 – Responsibility

"That's impossible, Namikaze Minato was just appointed as the Yondaime Hokage a month ago."

"Oh."

No matter how brief it was, Rin saw the surprise on Naruto face.

"Now, your turn, who are you and what were you doing in Iwa?"

"I never agreed to this to this quid pro quo."

He looked at her blandly. "You can not even walk. You are not in the position to demand or refuse anything, _genin_." He had emphasized the last word.

Rin narrowed her eyes at him. "Asshole, I already told you, I'm a chunin. And I can fight as long as I have a single breath in me."

"Will of the fire, huh?" Naruto stood up and stared down at her, a melancholic smile tugged at the corner of his lips, "That attitude of yours is not going to help you much. I ask you again. Who are you and what are you doing in Iwa?"

Rin glared at him.

"We can do this the hard way." Naruto grabbed with one hand and pushed her against the ground. "I healed you, and I can break you. Keep that in mind. Who are you, and why are you here?"

He could hear her gasping for air. Naruto sighed. "Our shinobi, kunoichi especially, have been known to be stubborn." He loosened his hold on her and threw a few scrolls at her feet. "There is enough food and medicine in there to last you until your field officer finds you. Good luck."

Naruto jumped away.

"No, wait." Rin looked horrible. "My whole team was killed in action, the field commander has been missing since last week."

"Genin," Naruto tried to talk, but he was cut off. "You asshole, I'm a chunin, I'm sorry if you don't like my personality, but what kind of a man are you? You save me, then you almost torture me, and now you're going to leave a defenseless girl alone. You say you're this Hokage from the future, but how can I trust you when you're this kind of man already?"

His eyes met hers.

"What's your name?"

Rin was crying.

"Unless you want me to call you something unpleasant, tell me your name."

She cried louder.

"You do realized we're in enemy territory."

She didn't hear him.

Naruto had no choice but to knocked her out.

Rin woke up to the smell of berries. As she welcomed her senses back to life, she found her hands to be bound. Sitting across from her was Naruto, carelessly eating a bowl of wild corn and berry porridge.

"Good morning."

"You asshole, you knocked me out."

"You were being loud."

"And then you tied me up."

"You would have tried something stupid."

Naruto walked over to her and placed a bowl in front of her. "I will untie you if you cooperate."

Her stomach answered for her.

"It's not poisoned. I had plenty of opportunities to kill you." Naruto undid Rin's restraints. She wasted no time and wolfed down her breakfast.

"I found your field commander. He is dead. But I got his mission dossier."

"Good luck with the encryption."

"Thanks, Rin."

She panicked.

"Age: seventeen, height: a hundred and sixty centimeters, hair: brown, eyes: brown, weight: forty six kilograms, favorite activities include swimming, eating, and kendo." He looked at her, "Need I go on?"

"How did you?"

"I'm the Hokage. Finish eating, we will be leaving immediately."

Rin tried to eat calmly. But the fact that she might have actually pissed off the Hokage from the future didn't exactly let her rest easy.

"We need to look for a recognizable landmark, then we are going to see your boss."

Naruto scooped Rin up in one arm and dashed north. Before she could struggle, Naruto shut her up. "Your foot is not going to hold if we are doing this at my pace. I am not slowing down for you."

"Oh."

It would be a lie to say that Rin didn't enjoy hitching a ride on Naruto. Sure, he threatened her about keeping her motion sickness in check. But the future Hokage's movement's were a lot more gentler than what she remembered.

It didn't take long before they were came to a stop. Naruto nodded to the north, "That's the Tepe river. We will follow it until we see one of the major bridges, then we will move accordingly."

"I don't need you to explain."

"I can drag you if you prefer."

"I'll be nice!"

By the time Naruto and Rin had found the bridge, the sun was half way under the horizon.

"We set up camp here tonight." Naruto then pointed at the bridge, "That's the Tsu bridge, we're about a thousand kilometers north west of Konoha."

Naruto took off his Hokage robe and threw it at Rin. "Use that as a cover. Get some rest. I will let you know when the food is ready."

That was easy enough. Naruto thought to himself. He had several shadow clones keeping a parameter while a few more went to gather food and resources. The difficult thing was figuring out how he had arrived to this place in time. From what Rin had told him, she attempted a summon without a contract. And as far as he can remember, the time shift happened somewhere along with the teleportation technique.

"Could it really be that easy, a resonance cascade phenomenon?" He didn't know how to accept that. If that were to be the case, then it was implied that the time-line can be twisted to allow events from the past or future to simultaneously occur.

"Troublesome." Naruto said to the night sky.

Rin feigned sleep. She watched through half closed eyes as Naruto summoned clones at will. Her eyelids felt heavy. The scent from the robe was was strange but pleasant. It smelled lightly of faded cologne, old books, and ink. It made her terribly at ease. She drifted off to sleep drinking in how the warm glow of the fire complimented Naruto's complexion.

"The food is ready."

"Five more minutes."

"That is the third time you said that. Get up."

It took less than a minutes for Rin to devour her food. She was surprised, Naruto was a damn good cook. They were eating some sort of small game animal with a citrus and herb rub.

"Chew."

"Mph."

"You drooled on my robe. This is my last one"

Rin had the decency to blush. Taking a hard swallow and a gulp of water, she replied, "Shut up, it's not like I asked for them." with a pout, she quipped, "and what kind of a ninja wears cologne?"

"So do have a habit of smelling men's clothe?"

Rin threw a bone at him. "You read my file. Since you barely talk and you have the emotions of a rock, I don't know anything about you" In a joking manner, she continued. "You appeared after I used Kuchiyose, so you're my summon. And as your master, I order you to tell me about yourself."

"Oh?" Naruto looked at her. For some reason, he felt compelled to tell her about himself. "That was my formal Hokage attire."

Rin noticed the longing smile on Naruto's face. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I was just joking."

"You probably should have died today."

"What?" Rin screamed. Naruto picked up the bone she threw at him and threw it back at her. "It is rude to interrupt." He took a sip of water and continued, "Minato will initiate a heavy counter offensive in a few months. Most likely due to the fact that you died. This war should end in about five month."

Rin's shoulder sagged in relief. "So this war will end this year."

"About two decades later, there will another shinobi war. And that is when I come along. A lot of people will die." Naruto's eye darked and he changed his verb tense usage. "Konoha's alliances quickly fell due to political tension. Ultimately, I designed the downfall of everyone that opposed my world view. That's how the Fourth Shinobi War ended."

Naruto took a breath. Rin was shocked. He looked at her from the corner of his eye and resumed his tale. "I didn't want a world that was unified because of fear. I had to heal my land. So I gathered the scorn of the people, and placed it on my dearest friend."

"Huh?!"

Naruto smiled as if he was talking about the greatest prank he has ever pulled. "He wasn't exactly the knight in shining armor. The reason the alliance fell apart was because of him. He agreed to be the war's scapegoat. Me and him were on the opposing sides, but we fought for the same thing, unity."

Rin stared at Naruto in disbelief.

"I killed everyone that stood in my way. In the end, I killed him him too. I was more than twice the murderer he was, but I was hailed as the hero, and he the war criminal. But we had peace. Everyone was tired of war."

"A committee was formed to deal with politics, and the shinobi's role changed from being primary income source for the village to that of a safekeeping task force."

Naruto looked far off into the distance, "it lasted for almost two years now, but it's not a perfect system."

"What do you mean?" Naruto was somewhat surprised that Rin had followed the story.

Naruto waved in dismissal. "Never mind that." He looked at her square in the eye, "What do you think about the Hokage from the future now?"

Rin didn't know what to think of Naruto. He was her savior. But he was cold and and abrasive, and from what she had just learned, a war criminal to boot. The food stopped being so appetizing. She was at a loss of words. "I..."

"Go clean up and get back to sleep. My clones can take care of the night shift."

Uneasy silence accompanied rest of the night.

Morning arrived without delay. Naruto was washing his face by the river when he heard leaves crunch under Rin's feet. She appeared flustered. "I can't say what you did was right." She handed him back his coat. "But that's the world we live in. No one is innocent. You won your world peace. Despite how ugly and cruel the truth was, you got to write history. From the looks like of it, you're shouldering the burden and sacrifices that everyone had to make for this peace alone. You're a war criminal, but only to yourself. To the rest of the world, you're their hero." She smiled for him. "I don't know about you, but I think the world's opinion outweighs yours."

"Thanks." Naruto's composure relaxed and he let out a sigh he didn't know he was holding. He had never told anyone the truth before. Not that he was going to let her know that.

"Are you really that strong?"

"Believe it."

Naruto dried his face.

"Get cleaned up and wash the drool off of your face, we leave after eating breakfast."

Rin's face had a dangerous hue of pink.

Breakfast was a simple: ration bar and fruit.

"I am twenty-two," Naruto blurted out of nowhere, "I'm technically still a genin, but I'm the sixth Hokage. I like ramen, peace, the Icha Icha series, and cooking. I do not like the three minutes you have to wait for instant ramen to cook. I do not have much of a dream now."

Rin squinted her eyes at him. "Where did that come from?"

"Beats me. Your turn."

"I'm seventeen, officially a chunin, but you already knew that" she glared at him, "I don't like perverts and lazy people. My dream is to one day be the best shinobi doctor."

"Admirable, but a bit boring."

"I also don't like assholes." Her stare drilled into Naruto.

Naruto didn't know why he said anything. Unless I am actually her summon, he wondered to himself. "Troublesome."

"By the way, what's the Icha Icha series? It sounds perverted."

"Nothing you need to worry about. Hurry up and clean up."

"You know, on our first day as a genin group, I went through the same sort of introduction with Minato-sensei."

"He's my dad. And Kakashi became my jounin instructor."

Rin's mind had to reboot. "What?"

"Don't think about it too much, let's go."

Four days has past since Rin had accidentally summoned Naruto, and the gates of Konoha were slowly getting closer. "we are almost there."

"Hey, let me down."

After letting Rin down from his back, Naruto asked her, "You got it from here?"

"Yeah. I'm not that helpless."

Rin felt a few pats on her head before she heard Naruto say "Good, see you."

Minato was not having a good day. He was so close to being able to launch that counter offensive. But he needed allies. Grass would only sign the treaty if Sand signed first. But the Kazekage was taking his sweet time in griding over the terms.

Life as the kage of a warring village was not a pleasant one. Even as he walked toward his office, his secretaries were asking him to sign and seal forms left and right.

He slammed the door shut behind him and slumped into his chair.

But before Minato could take a break, the air in front of desk became saturated with electricity.

"God damn it give me a break!"Minato moaned as he readied into a defensive stance.

Out stepped not one, not two, but three blonds clad in what appeared to be Hokage robes. As incredulous as that was, what was even more astounding was that they managed to subdue Minato. One of the intruders propped Minato's eyes open.

"This might be a little uncomfortable. Hold tight"

Minato promptly vomited all over Naruto.

When Minato came to, he found Naruto sitting behind the Hokage table and himself lying on the floor with a splitting headache.

"Troublesome."

"You're telling me."

--- o ---

Uchiha women's ability to give birth quickly deteriorated with age. For that reason, once they come of age at seventeen, they were immediately married into families in order to have as many children as possible. In addition, the Uchiha tradition dictates that women of age were to live in the Inner Haven, a sanctuary where they lived stress free and without worry. It was a heaven that they were not allowed to leave.

Mikoto Uchiha was in a bind. She respected that lifestyle. She grown up accepting it. And as a loyal and proud Uchiha woman, she was obligated and bound to their tradition. Mikoto loved her brothers and cousins. But not enough to convince herself that that was her life. Mikoto Uchiha wanted more. She was conflicted. She didn't want to defy her proud heritage. But at the same time she wanted to do so desperately. She was a hypocrite that learned for freedom.

She was arguably the most beautiful and cunning of the Uchiha. Mikoto had mastered the eye techniques many moons ago and came to appreciate the finer arts of deception. For that she was sought after by many. Yet despite her strength, she was never boastful. Mikoto always carried herself with the grace of a princess.

As a blanket of cloud covered the moon, Mikoto's journey began. It was the night before her seventeenth birthday. With steps lighter than feather, she made her way away from the compound. Meters away from the walls that guarded her freedom, a gruff voice made itself present.

"Miko-chan, where are you going?"

Turning around, she saw her brother. He was the one in line to succeed the clan leader. Fugaku Uchiha had discipline, ambition, and above all else, raw talent. He was a model Uchiha in every sense.

"I can't do this, Onii-sama. Please relinquish me."

Fugaku's expression remained stoic. "This is our way of life. Won't you reconsider?"

"I've thought about this many times. I can't go through with this. I have always been a proud Uchiha, and always will be. But I need to breathe."

Fugaku let out a heavy sigh. "As expected of my imouto."

Their world burned. Jets of fire shot out the ground and cinder rained down from above. But both siblings stood still, each with their cursed red wheels spinning in their eyes.

Naruto was complacent. Things weren't ideal but the sky wasn't falling down. Rin was out of his hair and he had just visited Ichiraku. He was finally able to breathe a little. Minato had been more than understanding and things were peaceful. That is, until the wall to his right exploded and a girl crashed into him.

He saw the commas embedded in the girl's iris. "An Uchiha?"

She grabbed him by the collar and threw him aside. "Run!"

A man calmly strolled out of the opening the wall. "Miko-chan, it's a shame, really, for me to do this. You had such potential. We could have been so much more. "

"Is that who you've fallen for?" Fugaku glanced at Naruto. "Before I kill him, I'll allow him to see me seal you."

"No!" Mikoto screamed, "I don't know that person."

On the side line, comprehension dawned upon Naruto. He read about the Uchiha's loosely defined courting ritual. Once the woman comes of age, she becomes the property of the Uchiha clan. It is then possible for the man approved by the elders to use a clan seal to force obedience from the woman and seal her sharingan.

Naruto stood up and dusted his pants. "If I am not mistaken, the lady say 'no'."

Mikoto hissed at him. "This doesn't concern you, run away."

Naruto continued, "You crashed into me. I do believe that this concerns me."

"I don't particularly care for your banter," forcing chakra into his left eye, Fugaku muttered the phrase, "Tsukuyomi!"

Gravity increased hundred folds while the world turned monochrome. Naruto found himself bound to a cross, with the girl also bound next to him.

"I don't know who you are, but since you're keen on interrupting, I will take her before your eyes. I'll even allow you the pleasure of watching it over and over again."

Like a wraith, Fugaku glided across the barren land and came to a halt in front of Mikoto. "This took way too long, Miko-chan."

She spat in Fugaku's face. "So you did kill Saito. Your eyes are abominations. I hope you burn in hell."

"Such fire. That's what I liked about you." Fugaku started the sealing sequence.

Reasons failed him. Fugaku suddenly found himself bound to a cross.

"You know something interesting, Uchiha?"

Fugaku was terrified. "Impossible! No one can escape from the Tsukuyomi!"

The blond man, with endless copies of himself to his back, stood in front of Fugaku, "I've been put under the Tsukuyomi three times before."

Fugaku's was shocked, as far as he knew, he was the only one with the kaleidoscope sharingan.

"The first time I was under it, I experienced it in its unique glory."

Naruto took a step closer.

"The second time I was under it, I understood it and was able to escape from it."

Naruto took another step closer.

"The third time I was under it, I was able to control it."

Fugaku felt a pat on the shoulder. "I will show you how it's done."

A man appeared in front of Fugaku. But Fugaku was perplexed. The man looked like an Uchiha, but he has never seen him before. "Is this a joke?" he asked Naruto. Not receiving an answer, he turned his head to look for the blond. There were no one else in the wasteland.

"You," the unknown Uchiha said, "let me tell you about my DARKNESS."

It wasn't torture, but Naruto enjoyed the irony. Who else to preach about the Uchiha other than Sasuke?

As Naruto disappeared from the wretched kaleidoscope world, his face started to ache, waves of stinging sensation registered in his mind.

"Wake up!"

Naruto's eyes opened to find a girl mercilessly slapping him.

"Please stop hitting me."

"What did you do to my brother?"

"Nothing."

She started chocking him.

"What did you do?!"

"Nothing," Naruto said, "he is stuck in his Tsukuyomi."

"How did you, no, more importantly, who are you?"

Before Naruto could answer, twenty Uchiha security showed up to the scene. They were less than ecstatic to be greeted by their princess straddling a stranger while her betrothed was unconscious.

"Troublesome." In a swift move, Naruto grabbed Mikoto's hand and disappeared into the night.

"Where are you taking me? What are you doing?"

"Yeah yeah I'll take responsibility."

AN: Read and review, feed the author. That DARKNESS bit was a slight jab at Kishi. He should really change the series title from Naruto to Sasuke based on just how much he just loves giving Sasuke mad h4x eye powers. Also, I love tsunderes. Just saying.

AN2: Deleted a bunch of extra "the"s. I need to proof read better.


	3. Pride and Prejudice

"I apologize for this."

Minato blinked. The white space surrounding him was disorientating. He knew this technique - Yamanaka mind transfer. A being floated carelessly in front of him, waiting for Minato to acknowledge his presence. Minato was irked: the person in front him looked almost exactly like him.

Narrowing eyes, Minato muttered, "Who are you?"

His doppelgänger's face betrayed no emotions. "Brace yourself."

Minato's head split open as images and scenes flashed in front of his eyes. Seconds and years melded together as minutes became decades. His mouth felt dry.

The man in front of him stared into his eyes. "Will you respond rationally?"

Through ragged breath, Minato replied, "I can't believe my son is so boring." He slapped Naruto on the back. "Can't you talk in something other than monotone?"

"Let's finish this conversation in the office." Naruto whispered, "Kai."

"Troublesome."

"You're telling me."

Out of the corner of his eye, Minato glanced at his son. To be honest, he was a little disappointed. From what Minato saw, Naruto had been an outstanding shinobi, but he lacked drive. When their gaze met, Minato only saw one thing in Naruto's eyes: duty. His son had lifeless dead eyes.

"Aren't you afraid that by showing me this, you're screwing with the future?" He asked.

"No. While you were watching my story, I also too the liberty of of going through part of your mind as well.."

That did not sit well with Minato. Reaching across the Hokage table, he grabbed the front of Naruto's robe, "You looked through my head? You son of a bitch. I do not care if are my son, you do _not _look through another man's mind without permission."

"That is irrelevant." Naruto dismissed him, "I only looked through your sealing knowledge. It only confirmed my hypothesis. Time traveling is destructive. The moment in which I came to the past, my world ceased to exist."

"What about the grandpa theory? If you killed me or if I had never knocked up Kushina, wouldn't you cease to exist?"

"You're reading too much into it. I am here regardless of whether you have sex with Kushina or not."

"But..."

Minato was ignored by his son.

"Rin should arrive in thirty minutes. I recommend you take her off of active duty."

"Excuse me?"

"While she should regain full mobility, the chakra coil in her left foot can never be repaired. If she is to get the synthetic coil replacement treatment, the chakra pathway of her whole system will be altered. To become proficient in medical ninjutsu again, she would have to retrain her body. That is not time and cost efficient. I recommend placing her on the teaching staff or in a civilian medic unit"

Minato frowned at that. "That would take everything away from her."

"That is better than having her or her teammates dead."

There was a five second pause before Minato spoke, "I'll think about it. What about you? I'm thankful for your knowledge and all, but what are your plans?"

Free time was a strange concept to Naruto. He had always been busy either training or working. He stared blankly at Minato. "I do not know. But I will assist Konoha in any way possible."

"Here," Minato threw a key at a Naruto. "That's one of the apartment at the barracks. You'll need a place to stay, right? Based on what you've shown me, I'll be needing help in the coming months. How about it, wanna work for your old man? I'll pay you well."

"Thank you."

Minato scoffed at that. "You know, that would mean a whole lot more if you said it with some emotion."

"Apologies." Naruto tried again, "Thank you."

"That's not any better."

"I'll be going now."

Naruto disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Chapter 2 – Pride and Prejudice

Mikoto Uchiha was not pleased. Her escape plan had been foiled by her dear brother and then she had also been kidnapped.

"Do you know who I am? I order you to let go this instant."

The commas in her eyes began to spin.

To say Naruto Uzumaki was a stranger to the sharingan would be like saying cats loved water. Before Mikoto could even utter the name of the technique she was preparing, Naruto pressed a fingertip to the back of her neck. Three comma shaped dots formed under his fingertip and Mikoto felt the chakra drain away from her eyes.

"Wh- what did you do?" Panic was evident in her voice. Naruto ignored her.

Having arrived at apartment, Naruto shoved his hostage in the bathroom.

"Help!" Mikoto's screams would have been heard throughout the barracks had it not been for the privacy seals that Naruto had effortlessly slapped on the door.

A full night's rest had been a welcomed conclusion to Naruto's eventful day. As the sun rose the next morning, birds chirped merrily as a kunai embedded itself into Naruto's neck. A burst of blood showered Rin's pristine hospital robes.

Her world ended the moment she was taken off of the active roster. She had been an orphan her whole life. Being a ninja gave her purpose. While she was on a team, people depended on her. When she was on the battle field working with her teammates, she was needed. But thanks to Naruto, Rin was tossed away.

Minato's words repeated in her mind, "I'm attaching you to the Medicine Exchange Program. Naruto explained the concept behind the seal that's holding your leg and foot together. Consider this an honorary discharge until further notice. Report to the hospital and get some rest. I expect you in physical therapy by tomorrow morning."

The cause of her discontent lay dead in front of her. Blood still flowed out of his body. It was over. Rin collapsed down to her knees. She did not have it in her to run away from the village. She would no doubt be judged by a court martial. If lucky she would get to spend the rest of her life on medication. Rin blankly stared into space.

"You made quite a mess over there."

She was going crazy. Rin could definitely hear his voice.

"It is a good thing that you are no longer a shinobi."

Hallucination or not, she did not need to have acid rubbed into her wound. Turning around, she dove for Naruto, again aiming for his neck.

"I'll kill you again, and again, and again, until you stay dead." Tears collected in her eyes.

Naruto easily dodged her. "Your emotional control is horrible, you are prone to outbursts."

"Shut up! Shut up!" She screamed repeatedly. In a blind fury, Rin continued her assault.

It would be a exaggeration to call it a fight. She had been easily subdued. "If you want to hurt me, mean it. Are you so pathetic that even your attempts at retribution are halfhearted? Where is the strong willed woman I first met?"

"Chakra no Mesu!"

Two chakra scalpels formed on each of Rin's hands. As she avoided Naruto's counter, her body turned mid-air and she lashed out at him. A clone suddenly formed in front of her and delivered a kick to her lower ribs. The wind was knocked out of her as she was sent sailing out the fifth floor bedroom window. Naruto promptly gave chase.

She saw her opening. Naruto had jumped after her. Rin poured chakra into her right index finger and watched with satisfaction as the chakra scalpel extended and pierced into Naruto's chest.

She closed her eyes and counted the seconds until impact. The concrete was much softer than she had anticipated.

"Why?"

Naruto had wrapped himself around her and cushioned the landing.

In his trademark monotone, Naruto answered, "What kind of Hokage would I be if I let my genin get injured."

"B-but I'm a chunin." Rin was too drained to sound angry.

"You did good, you landed a hit."

"Only because you were trying saved me." She hiccuped, "even though I was trying to kill you."

"A Hokage is not that easy to kill."

"What happens now?" Rin sniffled.

"I will take you back to the hospital."

Just as she tried to get up, her foot detached. Rin looked dejectedly at the blood pooling under her. "I'm too tired to scream."

"I am thankful. Let's go, you used up the chakra holding the seal. I'll attach it again."

Naruto carried Rin like a sack of potato and jumped back into his ruined apartment.

"It'd be a lot more dramatic if you carried me bridal style."

"Not interested." She was offended by Naruto's quickly dismissal.

Even though it was the second time Naruto was sealing her back together, to Rin, the process was not any less fascinating and embarrassing.

Naruto's apartment had been trashed. Debris and pieces of furniture lay everywhere. Fortunately, the privacy seals kept Mikoto unaware of everything happening outside of the bathroom. Idly sitting on Naruto's bed while he repaired the window, Rin asked, "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Your goal."

"But I'm not a ninja anymore."

"Irrelevant. Realize why that goal is important to you, then work around it."

"I don't know!" She screamed at him.

"Why not make that your goal?" Naruto stated simply. "If it is unattainable, make it a goal to make it approachable."

"My goal is to find a goal?"

"Why not?"

"But that's stupid."

" How is that different from what you just did? You tried to killing an _Hokage_. That's a capital offense."

" But you're not _my _Hokage. How did you know I was coming in the first place?"

"I advised Minato to lay you off, and I have proximity seals ."

"You planned this? Why?."

"It was for your benefit. Chances of you resuming life as a medic-nin approaches zero. You needed to accept that. I assisted with the transition." Naruto looked her over, "Your leg is good to go, but you just added five days of physical therapy. Let's get you to the hospital."

The trip to the hospital was made in silence. Naruto left Rin with a simple question. "Why did you want to be a doctor?"

Mikoto woke up to the smell of food.

_Where am I?_

Her mood significantly darkened as she recalled the events from last night. But it was no matter. She was a proud Uchiha. Mikoto cheered for herself, she'll get out of this yet!

"Hey, I don't know who you are, but can you let me out?"

"Feel free."

"Can you unlock the door?"

"It is not locked."

Mikoto felt like an idiot. Tentatively, she opened the door and peaked her head out. What she saw was certainly out of the norm. Five identical looking men were in the living room. One was sitting at the table eating breakfast, while two were cleaning and another two seemed to be placing seals all over the place.

"I must apologize for my unladylike behavior last night. Thank you for saving me from my dreadful fate."

Naruto nodded but was otherwise focused on his breakfast.

_I fail to see how breakfast is more interesting than me. _

The Uchiha was a bit upset by the response. "Hero, what is your name?"

Naruto looked up from his food and gestured for her to join him, there was already a place set up for her. "I am Naruto Uzumaki, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Mikoto Uchiha," she forced a smile at him, "the pleasure is all mine."

A light breakfast was prepared, poached eggs, fried rice cake, and soy milk. While accustomed to the lavish meals of the nobility, Mikoto enjoyed simple and rustic food. She stole glances at her captor while he read the paper. She thought he looked surprisingly similar to the Yondaime.

_Speaking of the Yondaime, this guy put a seal on me, I need to see the Minato-kun as soon as possible._

The air to her side sizzled. Before her very eyes, a frantic Yondaime Hokage appeared.

"Naruto, what the hell did you do! I have the whole Uchiha clan pissed off and knocking on my door! Oh, hello Mikoto-dono."

This was a sight to behold. The Hokage, while usually an calm and collected figure, was panicking.

"Oh my."

"Good morning Minato"

"Don't you 'good morning' me you good for nothing bastard. Why in the world did you have to go and aggravate the Uchihas of all people? No offense, Mikoto-dono."

"Oh, none taken." Mikoto was enjoying this.

"Would you like me to take care of the Uchiha problem?"

"What do you mean take care?"

"Red Moon*?"

"Absolutely not!"

"I can seal them."

"Not acceptable, wait, what?"

Naruto looked over to Mikoto, "Mikoto-hime, if you would?"

She took it as an insult. But with a saccharine smile, she nodded and exposed her neck. Minato looked on with interest.

"When did you do this?"

"Last night when she tried to use katon in my apartment."

"And it works?"

"Do you see any scorched furniture here?"

"Side effects?"

"None so far. "

A twitch appeared in Mikoto's complexion. Naruto and Minato were speaking as if she was not there. "Naruto-kun, would you mind removing this?"

"Yes, I do mind." She was flat out rejected.

"Do it Naruto, I want to see how reversible it is."

"As you wish."

Naruto flicked his wrist and a kunai was firmly planted in his hands. Mikoto watched nervously as he walked over to her. "This might hurt a little bit."

Naruto made a cut on his fingers and smeared a drop of his blood over her seal. Waves of pain assaulted Mikoto from the back of her neck. She gritted her teeth as beads of cold sweat rolled down her forehead. The room was quiet. With a sudden shudder, Mikoto's eyes opened wide. Naruto could only stare as color drained away from his world, the telltale blades of kaleidoscope eyes* madly spinning in her eyes. .

He was once again a prisoner of an unfamiliar world. This was Mikoto's genjutsu world.

He felt a presence deep in his mind, "You should have ran, outsider."

Bodies piles up under him.

"What do you think you are doing, Mikoto-hime?"

Naruto felt the bodies stir.

"You're interesting. I think I'll look around in your head more."

Arms grabbed onto him and the bodies stood up. Naruto calmly observed the dead-man's wasteland around him. He recognized the terrain, the singed earth, and the bodies. He had fought here before. This was the field where Madara fell.

The army of undead woke up and turned to him. "You should be here with us, demon."

Naruto felt bony fingers dig into his legs.

"One of us!" He could hear them moan in the background.

Possessing agility unfitting of the undead, a corpse of a Grass-nin leaped towards Naruto. "You were our ally, how could you betray us!?"

As if dealing with a fly, Naruto swept it away. Sending a torrent of chakra threw his legs, he shattered the appendages clawing at his legs. With more grace than Kimimaro's bone dance and more power than Neji's Kaiten, Naruto effortlessly carved a way through the corpses. The onslaught was endless.

"I do not have time for this." Naruto slammed his palm against the earth and a shockwave radiated outwards. In the split second that it took for the undead to regroup, Naruto drew a series of seals on the ground. A large ring of gust formed around him. Where ever Naruto went, the protective nova centered itself around him. A corpse rushed toward Naruto and was instantly obliterated as the ring roared.

Naruto turned and walk away from the fields of slaughter. A figure emerged inside his barrier. The intruder was covered in shadow, but his two mangekyou sharingans shined dead crimson in the black and white world.

"How nice, Naruto-kun, we have a chance to play again."

"Madara."

Like the blade of a circular saw, Madara's eyes turned. Naruto was sucked into the ancient Uchiha's Tsukuyomi.

"This is impossible."

"Ah, Naruto-kun, don't fret over the technicalities. That will make you age faster."

Naruto was bound to the Susanoo's sword while the black flames of Amaterasu ate away at his flesh. "What are up to?"

"I just want to spend eternity with the man that methodically murdered close to an half million shinobi, Naruto-kun." Madness was saturated in Madara's voice. "We are two peas in a pod, you and I."

"We are nothing alike. I gave the world peace."

"Oh? But at what cost? You don't even consider yourself human. What good can you serve the world?" Black veins started to weave onto Naruto's arm.

"You cannot be Madara. He died when the war barely started. I was barely a field commander at that time."

"How observant." As Madara leaned in to kiss Naruto's cheeks, the shadow covering him was lifted. Naruto stared into himself, a self that possessed the kaleidoscope sharingan.

"What will you do this time around, Naruto-kun? Will you burn and murder for the greater good again?"

"I did what is necessary for Konoha."

"But this Konoha does not need you." Naruto could smell the putrid breath of his impostor. He tried to lash out, but the chains around his wrist and ankles denied him. The words that were just spoken were not without truth. This was not his world. He did not have a place here.

But he still felt a bond to the land. This was still Konoha. Through clenched teeth, he said, "In the end, all ninja are hypocrites. But that is not our fault. The foundation is flawed. To build something new, one must tear down the old." He sent chakra to his wrists.

"I will shoulder the burden and make the sacrifices." He divided the polarity of the chakra. His voice was even. "I break this ugly world and illuminate it in its hour of darkness." With a mental release, the chakra in his wrists reacted.

The field was painted crimson as Naruto's wrists shattered. Using the end of his wrist as a brush, Naruto crafted crude seals on the earth. "Burn!" He shouted. Flames erupted from wherever his blood had stained. Naruto watched as the impostor writhed in pain.

The Tsukuyomi fell apart and Naruto found himself back inside Mikoto's illusion. The battle field had been cleared and only the meadow remained. He was delighted to find his hands back on his wrists, however, the impostor remained. Naruto carefully stepped toward it. His mask of indifference did not falter as the skin of his impostor chipped away to reveal the form on Mikoto Uchiha.

Her eyes opened. It took her a second to recognize Naruto.

"Monster!"She screamed and frantically tried to crawl away from him.

"I mean you no harm, Mikoto-hime." Naruto attempted to sooth her.

"Stay. Stay away from me!" Mikoto screamed as she increased the distanced between them. The shade of the world changed as the gray sky was dyed black. A single full moon hung low in the sky, dimly illuminating the world in a sickly glow.

"We need to get out of here, Mikoto-hime. Do you know how to end this technique?"

She did not respond. As Naruto stepped closer to her, the distance between them only seemed to increase. A hundred plus men materialized. They were identically covered from head to toe in tactical gear, with the Uchiha fan proudly displaying on their backs.

The leader was talking to Mikoto. He grabbed her hand and Mikoto began to struggle.

"Help!"

Naruto answered her plea. He bravely fought through layers of genjutsu and taijutsu formation. Just as he finally breached through the Uchiha forces, he heard Mikoto scream.

Her kimono was forced open as the man loomed over her.

"Miko-chan, if you don't do this, we will die." The man pointed into the distance. At the foot of the meadow, the Uchiha compound appeared. "This is our life."

"No!" Mikoto resisted against the man's advancement.

"Then they will die."

The Uchiha compound burst into flames. Screams could be heard begging for help.

Mikoto began sobbing.

Naruto calmly walked closer. Like picking an apple from a tree, he snatched the Uchiha man by the head and flung him away. Naruto stood towering over Mikoto. Covered in the blood of Uchihas, he said to her, "Get up, we are getting out of here."

Mikoto was a wreck. "What about my people?"

"I will save them."

"What about me?"

"I will take responsibility."

"But how can a monster save anyone?"

As if everything had been a walk in the park, Naruto casually extended a hand to her. "You have undoubtedly stolen glimpses into my past, just as I have witnessed your strife. Know this, while some see me as a demon, my only purpose in this world is to give people who otherwise would be dead or slaving away a chance at happiness."

Mikoto took his hand.

"All I ask of you is to believe in me."

Like glass, the false world shattered.

*Kaleidoscope eyes - Mangekyou sharingan.  
*Red Moon - Last resort fail safe plan. Kill all Uchihas.

AN: Read and review, feed the author! Genjutsu sucks. Everything is so abstract and you can always pull a deus ex machina out of your ass. Which is especially true with the manga. Right now there's l337 eye h4x everywhere. Anyway, the next chapter was originally a part of this update. But I figured I'd slow down the pacing and wait a chapter before shoving Kyuubi's story down your throat. How do you like Mikoto so far? I know the girls seem weak right now, but they'll get their glory soon. I'm all about girl powah.

Next time, Naruto bones Sasuke's mom.

(Just kidding.)

(Maybe.)


	4. Bonds that Tie

"Are you alright?" The worried voice of the Yondaime Hokage made its way to Naruto.

"Yes. Thank you for your concern."

"I wasn't talking to you, teme. What did you do? Mikoto started crying while she was unconscious."

"It appears that there is a side effect to the seal."

Mikoto was slowly coming to. After regaining her composure, she excused herself and went to the bathroom to freshen up.

"Minato, I will take responsibility of Mikoto Uchiha henceforth. It would be better if she were to stay with me."

Naruto felt a vicious slap to the back of his head. "What the hell? Are you insane? You can't just go grab the Uchiha princess from her home and suddenly decide that 'Oh, she'll be staying with me'. What were you thinking?"

A scream could be heard from the bathroom. Mikoto rushed out. "I have the mangekyou sharingan."

Minato frowned. "That's a forbidden practice."

Mikoto frowned. "The clan would go ape-shit if they found out that they can obtain the mangekyou this way."

Naruto frowned. "Mikoto-hime, watch your language."

Chapter 3 – Bonds that Tie

The Yondaime Hokage ditched worked that morning. While paper piled up in his in-box and Uchiha representatives waited patiently outside his office, Minato was enjoying a nice bowl of ramen with his son and his son's newly acquired charge.

The three each wore identically sealed necklaces. Flicking his, Minato asked, "This is pretty useful. Mind sharing the design?".

"I will deliver it to your office tomorrow."

The necklaces they wore were designed by Naruto when he was seventeen. He had been working with a group of Tea militia who had trouble hiding from enemy patrols. The necklaces were keyed into arbitrary channels and applied an Henge no Jutsu over the wearer. Everyone wearing the necklace keyed into the same channel could communicate normally, but anyone else would just hear gossip and noise.

"Naruto, I'm approving your request."

Naruto nodded in agreement.

Mikoto, oblivious to what has conspired, innocently asked, "What are you guys talking about?"

With a smile that shined almost as bright as the sun, Minato wrapped an arm around Mikoto and Naruto, "Congratulations Mister and Missus Uzumaki."

Calmly as ever, Naruto turned to his father, "This is not what I had in mind, Minato."

"But this is too sudden! We barely know each other." Mikoto's face flushed as she shoved Naruto off of his bar stool.

With the grin still plastered to his face, Minato said, "Just kidding."

"Oh." Both Mikoto and Naruto said simultaneously.

The current Hokage's mood turned serious. "Mikoto-dono, you're the first to have escaped from this Uchiha tradition. Your clan will not easily let you off. This is a strike against clan integrity. Naruto-kun here, has expressed intention of taking you in under his wings, at least temporarily until things settle down. What are your thoughts?"

She replied without hesitation. "That's is acceptable, he did say he was going to take responsibility."

Minato elbowed Naruto and conspiratorially leaned in, "You sly dog. Not a week in this world and you bagged the Uchiha princess." he whispered, "Don't be too impatient, I don't want to be a grandpa yet!"

"You are strange, Minato."

Mockingly, Minato clutched his heart, "That hurt!"

While they finished lunch in relative peace, Minato invited his son and Mikoto to dinner before heading to work. "Why don't you go shopping for supplies," he threw a wad of bills at Naruto, "then come to my place for dinner."

"Roger."

Minato messed with Naruto's hair in good nature, "Stop being so bland, you'll bore the girl out."

"I will try to appear more exciting." Naruto replied.

Minato looked at Mikoto, "Do try to put up with him, please?"

"I'll do my best."

The afternoon was spent shopping for essentials. Naruto had been meticulous in getting everything. From bed linens to tooth brush and soy sauce, Naruto had all of his bases covered. Mikoto was glad that Naruto was proficient in seals.

"Mikoto-hime," Naruto tried getting her attention.

"Don't call me that, idiot. It's embarrassing."

"My apologies. Hime."

"That's even worse. Just call me Mikoto."

"That is inappropriate."

Mikoto was flustered. "Who cares? Just stop saying princess-this and princess-that."

"As you wish, Mikoto."

Her eyes narrowed at him, "Why is it that I'm bothered even when you just call me 'Mikoto'?"

"Then I will stick to 'Hime'."

Exasperated, Mikoto gave up, "fine." A hint of red graced her cheeks. "Let's go shopping for clothing. I need pajamas." She dragged him through the shopping center.

"Hime, as I was trying to ask you earlier, how much of my past have you seen?"

Mikoto stammered a little, "I only saw a few battles, but when I was possessed by that thing," she paused, "well, I know everything it knew."

She felt Naruto's pace slow down to a halt. A hand was placed on her shoulder. "Please try to disregard what the impostor showed you. It was a manifestation of my personal demon. Its view of events are likely skewed from the truth."

"Oh, okay." Mikoto answered cautiously."But what happened out there, how did I get these eyes?"

"I believe my impromptu release of your seals is to blame. They worked by siphoning chakra from your eyes. When it was released, due to your stress level and the chakra release mechanism, it triggered your eyes to manifest. Please do not dwell on it. I will get it perfect next time."

"Next time? You still intend to seal me?" She asked in fright.

Naruto dauntlessly looked into Mikoto's eyes. "I intend to seal all Uchihas."

"That's wrong!" She exclaimed. "Who are you to decide our fate? You're no different than them." The iris of Mikoto's eyes was spinning wildly.

"Calm down, Hime. Let's discuss this rationally."

"Don't call me that," she screamed. Mikoto pushed him into a fruit stall and ran.

Naruto apologized to the fruit merchant and compensated for the damaged goods. In a split second, he was standing in front of the Hokage, "Do you mind if I take a rain check on dinner, Minato?"

"Fight already? Geez. The Toad and Slug just got back in town. I was planing on introducing you to them and Kushina. "

A flash of emotions appeared in Naruto's eyes. "That is unfortunate. The Uchiha and I had a slight miscommunication."

"That's how wars start, Naruto."

"I did not come to be lectured." Naruto replied quickly, "How are things with the Uchiha officials?"

"I got them under control. The clan will tell its members that Mikoto is on a public relations mission to Wind, and I'll back them up with paperwork when inquired. So far the real story is that Mikoto Uchiha has been kidnapped and that we have three squads working on the case."

"And they bought it?"

"They left my office without trying to instigate a coup, that's got to count for something."

"Very well. Please keep me informed."

"What are you going to do with Mikoto?"

"I will use her to develop a containment device for the Uchiha."

Minato frowned. He knew the danger that was brewing behind the Uchiha clan's closed doors. But the way Naruto delivered that statement made him feel uneasy. "I didn't mean it like that. Let me rephrase it this way. How are you going to make peace with Mikoto?" Minato pressed on, "Apologizing always works."

"Dully noted."

It was late evening when Naruto arrived back at his apartment. Five empty ramen cups were in the trash bin. Mikoto sat properly next to the table, with a steaming cup of ramen next to her.

"You ate all my noodles."

Mikoto ignored Naruto and looked away from him. "Hmph!"

The keys clinked as they landed on the counter top. "I should have considered your feelings and consulted you."

She turned to face him.

"I am sorry, Hime." Naruto said.

"I thought we would eat a snack together before going to dinner." Mikoto said, "I made two cups earlier. But you didn't come back. So I ate both cups before they over cooked. An hour later, I made a cup for you. But you didn't come back. I got word from Minato, dinner is postponed until tomorrow."

That was unexpected. "I did not know that, thank you for being considerate."

"Your apology doesn't sound apologetic at all. You should put more heart into your words. Why do you always sound like a dead fish?"

"Hime, you are not making any sense. How does a dead fish make sound?"

Mikoto wanted to scream. "Forget it. Where have you been?"

"I was doing research on the sharingan."

Mikoto scowled. "Please, let's not talk about it, at least not tonight."

"Understood."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Mikoto cleared her throat and gestured to the steaming cup on the table. "Did you eat yet? You can have that one if you haven't. It's not like I made it for you or anything. I was going to eat it but you came back before it was properly cooked."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Naruto's lips. "Do you expect me to believe that, Hime?"

"Of course! Only reason I'm allowing you to have it is because you're so irritating that you killed my appetite!"

The warm hum of the refrigerator chased away the silence.

"Thank you for the food, Mikoto."

"Ju- just eat, idiot! It has been a long day. I'm going to sleep and I'm taking the main bedroom."

The window shattered for the second time that day. A shadow charged in and Mikoto made no sound as a well placed strike to her pressure point robbed her of her consciousness.

"And you are?"

Naruto's fist collided with the assailant's palm. Its movement was swift. In the split second that it took Naruto ready his grapple, it flipped behind him.

"I am your shadow."

"I beg your pardon." His leg swept under it.

"You are Uzumaki Naruto, correct?" Placing a hand on his shoulder, it jumped and pivoted with its wrist. It landed behind Naruto and held him in a choke hold.

Chakra charged through his muscles. Naruto untangled its arm away from his neck and shoved it against the east wall of his spartan living room. "I do not know how you have come to the knowledge of my existence, if you value your life, stand down," His grasp on its wrists tightened and twisted, "and explain."

"You are quite strong, Master."

He did not need this. First there was an moody chunin, then a disillusioned Uchiha, and now this?

"Acknowledge my question." Naruto commanded.

"Ah, my apologies. But I would appreciate it if you would allow me to talk to you more in a more comfortable position," it struggled a little, "but if this is what the Master prefers, I shall oblige." Its tone was almost teasing.

His hold did not budge. "Speak."

"I am Konoha."

If Naruto was surprised, he did not show it.

"Elaborate."

"You may know me as Kyuubi."

The atmosphere tensed. The Kyuubi that was sealed within him had died. While reluctant, the fur-ball ultimately gave up its life for Naruto. What was this world's the nine-tailed demon fox doing here?

As if nothing was out of the ordinary, Konoha continued. "When you were summoned into the past, or should I say, the present, what left of the Kyuubi came along with you."

A kunai materialized in Naruto's hand and he placed it next to its neck. Fox demons were notorious for being tricksters. He did not know how this being had gained the knowledge of him and the Kyuubi, but if it was telling the truth, the last thing Naruto should be doing was letting his guard down. "What are your intentions?"

"You are quite impatient, Master." Konoha appeared to be amused.

His kunai grazed its neck. "Do not play tricks with me, demon or not, you would not appreciate a headless body."

It giggled and evaporated into the air.

"Such passion." Naruto heard from behind him, "but I am not here to play, Master."

Instantaneously, Naruto was drawn into a place he never thought he would have to visit again: the cage that once held the monstrosity that came close to decimating Konoha.

A woman stood in front of him. She did not have the aristocratic beauty of the Uchiha, but the air around her was no less refined. A katana was locked next to her hip while a simple blue kimono decorated with lilies draped over her lithe form. Her most striking feathers, however, were her flame red eyes and burnt orange hair.

"Master, I hope this proves the sincerity of my words." She walked closer to him. "I have been with you since then moment you were born. I know everything about you."

The Kyuubi glided closer. Naruto was at a loss of words

_What is this?_

"Let me become your sword and shield. Let me strike down your enemies and shield you from harm's way." Its voice was silky and seductive.

Her hands reached out to caress Naruto's cheeks. Before she made contact, however, Naruto made a dash backwards and willed twenty clones into the space around him.

His eyes were stern and his lips pressed thin. "If you are indeed Kyuubi, how did you acquire this form?"

"The fragment of Kyuubi that came with you merged with the Kyuubi of this time." The Kyuubi gestured the distance between him and her, with one hand pressed over her heart. "Then I was born."

With a light bounce, she came face to face with Naruto. "Throughout your life, the Kyuubi that was sealed in you became imprinted with your humanity. But it was incomplete, it did not have enough spiritual energy to gain form and consciousness."

The mindscape changed. Naruto saw slivers of light merge with what appeared to be a dormant Kyuubi. "Demons first came into existence when people traded their humanity for power." There was sadness in her eyes. "when that happened, they also lost their mind and their heart." Konoha smiled at him, "do you know why demons eat humans?"

Naruto remained silent.

"It's because they want to gain back their humanity. When the Kyuubi merged with your fragment, well," She pointed to herself, "I became complete."

"That is a lot to take in."

"Ah, take your time. But I must thank you for this body, I approve."

"You are welcome?"

"Oh, you do not know." Konoha appeared to be bashful, "This is the form most compatible to you. Or rather, the form most desired by you. I remember everything, Master. To repay for all the troubles I have caused you, I have become bound to you."

The depth of Konoha's gaze convinced Naruto of her sincerity. The clones dispelled. "I appreciate the thought." His stance relaxed. "But the Kyuubi has saved my life more than once. There is no debt."

"But it is because of me that you started to shut out you heart."

"I have no need for such a thing."

"But how can a man who cannot love lead?" Konoha pleaded, "Let me take care of you. I know what you desire. We have that bond. You've always been the protector, the one hurt for the sake of others. Let me protect you. Will you accept me? I want to see you smile and hear you laugh again!"

Naruto had longed for someone like that once. He remembered asking the night sky time and time again, who would protect him? Who would fight for him? But he grew up. Once the Hokage hat was placed on his head, Naruto discarded such weaknesses.

"There is nothing to accept. I do not need you."

"I see." Konoha's gaze was downcast.

Reality came crashing back. When Naruto opened his eyes, Konoha was nowhere to be seen and Mikoto still laid slumped over the table. He sighed as he got up and carried Mikoto to her room, failing to notice the pair of eyes that followed his every movement.

Walking back into the living room, Naruto complained, "I need to put some reinforcement seals on that window."

It was almost three in the morning. A sleeping Naruto frowned as he felt a warm wetness around his groin. He opened his eyes.

"Hello Master."

A kunai found its way into his palm and Naruto calmly held it against Konoha. "What do you think you're doing?"

Mikoto had been awake since midnight. She felt helpless. The tick-tock sound of the clock mocked her weakness. She couldn't sleep. So when she heard voices coming from Naruto's room, she took it upon herself to investigate. Mikoto has yet to learn how to curb her curiosity.

The door was slightly ajar. As she quietly pushed it all the way open, a trickle of blood escaped from her nose. A naked woman was joined at the hips with Naruto. She appeared to be leaning over him, as if whispering sweet nothingness into his ears. Her hair glowed against the moonlight as they draped over Naruto. The kunai pressed against Konoha's neck gleamed.

"Sorry for interrupting! Please enjoy yourselves!" Mikoto slammed the door shut.

Fin.

AN: Feed the author! Finally, all the main characters have been introduced. Next chapter, Konoha vs Mikoto, FIGHT!

Backstage Bonus!

Naruto's cheeks burned. "Was the scene at the end really necessary?"

"It's not rape if it's consensual. Do you still consider it rape, Master?"

"No! Wait, Yes!" He was at a loss of words.

"You seemed to like hurting women, Naruto." Rin chimed in.

"I can't believe you put a seal on me on the first day we met!"

"You shoved me into the dirt while I was injured!"

"I was barely introduced as a character and you've already placed your kunai next to my neck!"

There was a unanimous chorus. "Naruto, you suck."

Lighting struck and thunder clapped ominously. Suddenly dressed in leather and mesh, the women cornered Naruto.

"Let's teach him some manners."

Naruto frowned as the whip in Mikoto's hand crackled. "#&%$ my life."


	5. Bonds

Chapter 4 – Bonds

"So let me get this straight." Minato said exasperatedly, "The nine tailed demon fox tried to rape you in your sleep."

A breeze of winter blew into the room through the open window. Konoha shivered against the rope that tied her to the breakfast table chair.

Konoha wrinkled her nose. "I just sat on him. Don't go making something out of nothing."

"You had no business sitting on him _naked_. Regardless of that, you didn't have to knock me out." Mikoto added.

Konoha had a condescending grin on her face, "I don't like you, Uchiha. And I just couldn't resist, you were so weak."

Slamming her hands on the table, Mikoto stomped toward Konoha. Their faces were inches apart. "I dare you to say that again."

A melodic laughter filled the room. "I'll indulge you. You are weak."

Mikoto raised her hand to strike, but a flying steamed bun caused her to act instinctively.

"Breakfast, Hime. You should at least eat before you lose your composure."

"Shut up!" Mikoto took a big bite, although reluctantly.

Minato scratched the back of his head and faced Konoha. "Care to explain what happened last night?"

"Mind your own business, Blondie."

"Naruto, if you would, please?"

"Konoha, explain. I am curious also."

"Yes Master." She sheepishly glanced at him. "You denied me of what was rightfully mine."

"Elaborate."

Konoha sighed tiredly, "I wanted to connect to you. To help you understand."

"I told you. Konoha, I do not need a servant. There is no debt for you to repay."

Konoha recoiled as if struck. "That's just it. You still don't understand! I wasn't offering to be your servant. The bond between us is can never be severed. Let me help you."

The neutral expression on Naruto's face belied his feelings. Whatever Konoha was, she was the only one in this world that validated his existence. His past had vanished: his lover, his friends, teachers, and enemies. The loss was hard to deal with. It wasn't as if they had died – no, it was far worse than that. They did not exist, and never will exist as far as Naruto was concerned.

"There is no need." Naruto repeated dully.

She screamed, "You!"

A miasma of putrid chakra seeped out of Konoha as her features became feral. Her canines lengthened as her pupils narrowed into a slit. The rope that tied her to the chair eroded.

Her voice boomed, "You brat. Even after giving you my life, you still deny the bond that ties us?"

"Konoha, please calm down." Minato tried to appease her.

Her eyes shifted toward the Yondaime, "You pest! Be silent unless you want to see this forsaken village in ashes."

Corrosive chakra continued to pour out of her.

"Minato, Mikoto, stay away from her and under no circumstances allow her chakra to touch you. It acts as a poison and will rot flesh."

"How sweet of you to remember, Naruto-kun." Konoha spoke through clenched teeth. Bubbling chakra condensed in her palm and formed a long edged sword. Raising the blade, she set in stance to pounce.

A scream resonated throughout the apartment.

"Mikoto, no, back down!"

Naruto's plea did not reach her in time. The kaleidoscope blades in her eyes spun madly as she charged toward Konoha, lighting crackling in her palm. "You will not harm Naruto. He has a promise to keep."

Konoha easily side stepped the oncoming attack. Amusement was evident in her feline eyes. "Oh, so little time in this world and you're already making promises to other women?" She pointed her sword at Naruto, "Don't you think you're moving a little too fast?"

She took a step closer to Naruto, sword still leveled. "Have you forgotten your place? Have you forgotten the fact that you belong to me?"

Tendrils of chakra shot out from her aura. Naruto tried to dodge, but the small apartment left little space for maneuvering. Necrosis set in as Konoha's chakra wrapped around him.

"Too slow, darling!" Her tone was saccharine.

Konoha rushed at him with a manic smile. Before her sword struck, however, the world around them changed.

"Tsukuyomi!" Mikoto shouted.

Her strike followed through. Konoha's katana embedded into Naruto to its helt. "I'll show you," she whispered to him. With a gentle tug, she pulled sword out. "I'll show you." Konoha repeated. Her blade rammed into him once more. Over and over again, she stabbed him. "If you won't recognize me, if you won't acknowledge me, if you won't accept me..." She chanted as tears rolled down her cheek.

Mikoto's footsteps alerted Konoha. Her head whipped around and her crazed gaze focused on Mikoto.

"You thieving whore. If your kind didn't exist, this would never have happened." Seals flashed through Konoha's hands.

Mikoto didn't panic. They were in her world – she was the queen bitch of this universe. Spires of black flame shot out of the ground at her will and interrupted Konoha mid-seal.

"Such tricks cannot harm me, Uchiha." Konoha taunted. Katana in hand, she edged around the spires with ease. Crimson flames of her own erupted from her blade and she effortlessly cut down the pillars.

Mikoto whispered, "Mokuton: Jubaku Eisō!"

Obsidian trees abruptly grew under and around Konoha. Panic flashed through her eyes as she was enclosed by its branches. "Impossible!"

Mikoto walked toward Konoha with a leisure pace. "Think of it as a little gift from Naruto." She provoked. Her eyes glanced down at the bound demon. "I was one with Naruto. He possessed me and gave me glances into his past. This is just one of the few hundred techniques he showed me." Mikoto smirked "This is my world, I make the rules. I have no need for the Shoudai's bloodline to use this technique."

The dark aura around Konoha erupted. She was furious. "You dare to violate Naruto's memories!?"

In a split second, the tree binding her became nothing more than flakes of char. "Uchiha, I will show you the depth of my bond with Naruto."

Bones broke through Konoha's flesh and her form morphed. "I will show you the difference between a shared lifetime and just a few stolen seconds of his past!"

If Mikoto felt fear, she did not show it. The monstrosity before her retained its humanoid form. But its mouth was stretched wide across its face and bared rows of razor-like teeth. Its skin was black as the night while alabaster blades protruded from its joints.

The corner of her eyes caught movement. Two copies of the demoness popped into existence and flanked her with impossible speed.

Mikoto quickly erected wooden barriers around herself. Shards of bone nailed into the barrier and the demon clones used them as stairs to flip over the barrier. When Mikoto looked up, the shadows each held a spinning ball of raging chakra.

"You die now, Uchiha."

Konoha's rasengan descended down onto Mikoto.

00000

Naruto's bleeding form stirred. His vision was blurred and his breathing ragged. A shrill scream pierced his eardrums. Not far off in the distance, he saw three black forms standing over a still body.

No matter how much he willed his broken body to move, it refused. One of the humanoid shapes noticed his return to consciousness. It turned quickly in an animal-like fashion, and rushed toward him on all fours.

Although his vision was cloudy, Naruto still managed to see its movements. The demon tenderly sat down on him; its skin was scorching. Naruto heard the sound of tearing flesh. The being on top of him ripped out its own ulna. Naruto gasped for air as he felt intense pain in his chest. His flesh posed no resistance to the blood drenched dagger.

"Naruto-kun. Where were we?" It asked. "Oh yes," It tilted its head innocently, "You were about to tell me how much you need me."

The stabbing resumed. The pain eventually faded into an unpleasant numbness. He was barely able to breathe. Naruto locked gaze with the demon – its ruby eyes burned with madness. His hands reached up and gently pulled it into his embrace. His hand burned, but he endured.

Lips almost touching its earlobe, Naruto whispered. "That's enough, Konoha."

The two figures looming over Mikoto faded away from existence.

"You're mine," It choked out, "Why do you deny me? Am I not as important to you as they are?"

Its form returned to that of a woman. Konoha gingerly returned the embrace. "They're not real, Naruto-kun, they're not like us, only I am."

A pained expression showed on Naruto's face. "I know."

He felt warm tears rain down on him. The Kyuubi's avatar held him closer. "Then why?"

"I have nothing else here; this is all that I can do. I have to save Konoha."

"But I'm Konoha! You'll always have me"

Naruto weakly grunted in response. No words were exchanged as the two stayed wrapped in each other.

"Understood," Naruto broke the silence, "Konoha, from now on, please stay by my side."

The magnitude of her embrace became crushing.

Twenty meters from where the two lay, Mikoto's chest stopped heaving. The apartment shifted back into view.

An irritated Minato looked at him. "You need to tell Mikoto to stop pulling you into a Tsukuyomi every damn morning. What happened?"

Completely ignoring the Hokage, Naruto rushed to Mikoto's still form.

"Konoha, I need your help."

She pouted. "Do I have to?"

Naruto didn't amuse her with a response.

"Naruto, what's going on?" Minato pressed on.

Naruto calmly answered. "Mikoto is dead."

Before the Hokage can protest, Mikoto's corpse was brought into Naruto's bedroom.

"Minato, wait in the living room."

The door slammed shut.

With mechanical speed and precision, seals were grafted over Mikoto chest.

"I'm close to chakra depletion. Konoha, pump chakra into the seal."

Konoha wordlessly complied. The seal glowed dark red. But as seconds ticked by, Mikoto's condition remained unchanged.

"This isn't working." Konoha almost sounded glad.

The human brain consumed more than twenty percent of the body's oxygen intake. Once the heart is stopped, the brain had a little more than six minutes before it dies. Even if oxygen supply is resumed within that time, any damage to brain is irreversible.

Naruto cursed. The seal was gamble. In theory, when Mikoto had died in the Tsukuyomi, her soul was severed from her body. Since a soulless body could not survive, the seal's purpose was to act like a medium for chakra to bridge the soul to the body.

"Twenty seconds till cerebral anoxia, Naruto-kun."

Naruto decisively made a cut on his wrist and to Mikoto's chest. Smearing blood over Mikoto's bleeding bosom, he commanded Konoha, "Chakra, now."

Mikoto coughed and opened her eyes.

Naruto sighed in relief. It worked. His blood was needed to bridge Konoha's chakra to the seal. Through Konoha's chakra, his blood and seal, he stitched Mikoto's soul back to its body.

Fear and loathing filled Mikoto as her recognized Konoha's form. Instinctively, she grabbed onto Naruto arm.

"Hime, I don't believe you two have been properly introduced." Naruto said calmly. "This is Konoha, one of my very own demons."

Konoha chuckled dryly, "Ha ha, funny, Master, I never knew you were into puns."

"She would like to apologize to you," His eyes focused on Konoha, "Isn't that right, Konoha?"

"Sorry," Konoha said to Mikoto half-heartedly. "I'm Konoha, someone bound to Master for _life_, nice to meet you."

Mikoto blinked. "I'm Mikoto Uchiha."

An awkward silence followed.

"I'll go deal with Minato, you two work something out and put something on."

Konoha's clothing had been burned by her chakra; the Uchiha princess' yukata's had been ripped open in the front for the sealing procedure. Neither of the red-eyed women had noticed their exposed skin until that moment.

Naruto was ever so grateful for privacy seals as Mikoto's embarrassed shrieking was cut off as the door closed.

00000

"So they both know about you?" Minato inquired after he was briefed on the morning's events.

"Correct. Konoha, in essence, has been with me way before this fiasco started. And Mikoto has seen snapshots of my memories."

"What are you going to do about the Kyuubi?"

"Hey! My name is Konoha, Blondie." Konoha yelled as she walked into the living room with Mikoto trailing behind. They kept a distance between each other. But they weren't trying to kill one another. Naruto assumed that they had come to an understanding of some sort.

The said blond made a face, "I don't like her."

Handing the Fourth Hokage a cold steamed bun, Naruto sighed. "You don't know the half of it."

Konoha pouted. "Master..."

"Konoha will stay with me here. She is my responsibility now."

"Master is mean. Don't talk about me as if I'm a burden."

Naruto stared at Konoha blankly and chuckled. "I'm sorry. You are right, you are not a burden."

A happy smile graced Konoha's face, "It's okay, as long as you..."

Naruto finished his sentence. "You're a demon."

"If master doesn't stop being a smart-ass, I'm going to start stabbing."

Both Mikoto and Naruto shuddered.

Minato cleared his throat. "Anyway, dinner today at seven at Hokkaidō. Jiraiya and Tsunade will be there. Dress formal and don't be late."

"Understood." Naruto answered.

Mikoto and Konoha replied simultaneously, "I'll be there."

"Don't steal my line."

"Don't steal my line."

"Stop it."

"Stop it."

"Shut up!"

"Shut up!"

Minato chuckled. "Oh man, sensei is going to get a kick out of this."

A soft smile tugged at Naruto's lips. "I'll bet."

00000

The restaurant Minato had picked was extravagant. From the ornaments to the staff, everything was a shining beacon to the service industry. Minato and Kushina were happily chatting with the two Sannin when Naruto and his two guests arrived.

Jiraiya and Minato wore traditional dress robes of bold colors, but Naruto had opted to go with a fitted western suit. Each claiming one of his arms, Naruto's companions were like sinkholes that sucked in attention. To his left, Mikoto wore a little chic black dress. To his right, Konoha wore a tastefully decorated lavender kimono.

"Lucky bastard," Minato muttered, only to be elbowed in his ribs.

The dinner attendants comfortably exchanged greetings.

"So, Naruto, Minato has told us all about you." Jiraiya said to him.

Naruto glanced over to the Yondaime, "Did he now?"

Rather candidly, Minato replied, "I didn't think you would mind. I thought I'd save you the trouble of forcing years of memories into them."

Naruto stared at the Hokage for a moment, "Thanks, I suppose."

Unexpectedly, Kushina lounged in and started pinching his cheeks, "To think my son would grow up so fast!" she squealed.

Naruto never knew his mother, but from what he had learned from Jiraiya, his used to take much after her personality-wise. Naruto edged away from her grasping fingers. "I would prefer if you did not do that."

Naruto's companions had to stifle their giggles, Kushina pouted, "Ne, Minato, you weren't kidding. Our son has no personality what so ever, he's like a rock."

Naruto almost glared at Minato.

"Let's go inside, I'm sure at least one of us is hungry."

Dinner had been a light-hearted event. They avoided heavier topics but instead shared stories and laughs at Naruto's expense. However, Tsunade remained mostly quiet, her eyes frequently lingering on Naruto. From what she has seen so far, Tsunade had no reason to doubt Minato's words; that bothered her. The decisions that this child was forced to make made her uneasy.

"Naruto," She asked, "How are you doing?"

"I am fine, thank you for your concern."

"I mean really, how are you?"

Both Minato and Jiraiya looked at her warningly. But Tsunade persisted.

"Your environment changed quite a bit in coming to this world. Yet it seems like you didn't need to adjust at all. It doesn't seem like you harbor any blame for Rin. You barely smiled once during the whole dinner, which should have been a great opportunities for you to get to know us."

"I am sorry if my behavior bothers you, Tsunade-dono."

One of Tsunade's brows ticked. "You're always calm. Your dysphoria is likely a sign of post traumatic stress disorder. As the Chief Overseer of Shinobi Health, I believe that it is in your best interest to see a therapist."

Naruto glanced at Tsunade and coolly replied, "While I do appreciate your concern, I must decline."

Mikoto and Kushina were shocked at Naruto's prompt refusal. Mikoto casted a worried side glance at him. "It could help, Naruto, why don't you try it?"

"I'm fine." He said to her. Then he returned his attention to Tsunade, "I understand your reasoning, but I know full well the effects and symptoms of PTSD. My mental health is perfectly adequate."

Tsunade opened her mouth to retort. The building shook. Explosions far off in the distance rumbled through the earth.

Two ANBU appeared by the Hokage's side. "Sir! They came out of nowhere! The West and South gate has already been compromised and we're taking heavy artillery fire!"

Minato's eyes hardened. "Tsunade, Jiraiya, Konoha needs your strength."

There was no need for the Sannin to consider the request. "I'll be at the hospital. You boys stay safe."

As Tsunade left in a swirl of leaves, she said, "Don't think this conversation is over, Naruto-kun."

Fin.

AN: It's a bit late, but better that than never. The rest of the story is pretty much plotted out. So you can expect updates about once a week from now on. Don't worry, this isn't going to turn into a "lol emo Naruto broods around" sort of thing.

I'm not a fan of harem fics. But toying with these multiple characters is just so damn fun. We'll see. You like the crazy Konoha?


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